The Kassel Family Project Life 365

I have to return the Canon Powershot SD800 digital camera to my office.  I was hoping they would forget about it, but they haven’t.  So, we took a pilgrimage to Best Buy where Momma got a brand new toy, a Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS!  I have actually looked at it before, but never “took the plunge.”  I got it for a good price and I love the look of it.  It’s 12.1 megapixels and has an amazing zoom for something so small.  It is smaller and weighs less than the SD800.  Perfect for carrying in my purse!  I haven’t been able to use it yet as the battery is still charging, but I’ll be snapping pictures soon!  I also got a USB SD Card Reader, which will come in *very* handy for pulling pictures off the card whenever I feel like it.  So, goodbye my pretty SD800 and hello to my new ELPH 300 HS.  I’ll miss the 800, but I’m looking forward to getting to know the 300!

One of the routes that we take to and from daycare has what we call “the tree tunnel.”  The kids love it and they ask if we can go that way a lot so they can see it.  Today was no exception.  My favorite time of year for the tree tunnel is in the fall when all the leaves are changing.  It’s especially beautiful then.  The kids just love it all year round.

Want to know one of the things I love most about warmer weather?  The smell of the charcoal grill as it warms up!  That’s pork loin in the background and red wine while we wait!

Laura and I went shopping at Lowe’s today for flowers and garden plants.  She was so excited to help pick out plants and commented on everything she saw.  We ended up buying a good variety of flowers and vegetables – Petunias, Gerber Daisies, Marigolds, Impatiens, Geraniums, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers, and some seed packets.

Laura’s favorite flowers were the Gerber Daisies.  I wasn’t going to buy them, but she said, “Mommy, those can go on the back deck and they are so pretty!  Please, Mommy, please?”  I admit it.  I’m a sucker.  I bought them.

Laura’s favorite clothes are always hand-me downs from Kathryn.  Thanks Andrea!  Laura LOVES this shirt and she said that all her friends did too (except for one boy in her class who told her, “I’m allergic to pink.”)!

 

Today, I washed the kid’s car seat covers.  John stepped on his new booster chair cover with muddy shoes and so I just threw the covers for Laura’s seats into the washing machine too.  Since they can’t be machine dried, I put them on the back deck to dry.  It was bright sun and I figured it wouldn’t take them long to dry.  After placing them outside, I went into the house and cleaned up the kitchen.  I was inside maybe ten minutes total.  I stepped onto the back deck to check on the covers and one of Laura’s had been pooped on by a bird.  I thought, “What the hell?  Ten minutes is all I’m gone and it gets pooped on?  All this space to poop and the bird had to hit THAT.”  So, back to the washing machine went that particular cover!  Never fear…all covers are now sparkling clean and back on the car seats!

Easter is always a long day for the Kassel Family, and this year was no exception.  The day began for me at 4:30 am and at 5:30 am for the rest of the Kassels.  We go to Easter Sunrise Service at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, and it starts at 6:30 am.  It’s a great service that is held outdoors weather permitting.  This year proved to be a beautiful Easter morning.  It was such a nice service in the Memorial Courtyard.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

After Sunrise Service, it was off to Bob Evans for our traditional Easter breakfast.  The food was great as usual and we very much enjoyed breakfast.  Because we had a bit of time to waste between breakfast and the Church’s Easter Egg Hunt, we headed to Shelter Gardens for a walk through the beautiful park.  The kids loved every minute and we got some great pictures.  We even saw a rabbit to which John exclaimed, “But he’s supposed to be at our house!”

Our little budding photographer took this picture of Andy and I.  Laura is getting quite good.  My new pocket camera is much easier for her to use and she truly loves taking pictures.

After an hour or so of wandering through Shelter Gardens, it was time to return to St. Andrew’s.  We checked out the church construction (the expansion is looking just amazing!) and then the kids raced for the Easter Eggs.  It was so fun to watch all the kids.  John would exclaim, “I found one!” with each egg.

By the time all the morning festivities were complete, the Easter Bunny (Thanks Jenna!) had visited the Kassel household and we headed home.  The kids immediately found their Easter baskets on the family room couch.  We had to hold them back just so I could take a picture!  They were quite excited with everything and tore through their baskets in about 10 seconds flat.

The Easter Bunny was extremely creative with the hidden Easter Eggs.  We found them in cups, in our chandelier, on top of a lamp, on top of the rocking horse’s head, on top of our gas meter, and in many other places.

The kids had just a great time looking all over for the eggs.  Upon opening the eggs, there was even more excitement.  John was gasping with every egg he opened!

Laura was most excited over getting all kinds of new Lalaloopsy dolls and a carrying case.

After all the excitement of the morning, we spent a few hours relaxing in the afternoon.  The kids played and Andy mowed the lawn.  I did some laundry and prepared Easter dinner.  The Hendersons joined us for Easter dinner, which was a lot of yummy food.  By the time, the kitchen was cleaned, I was exhausted and it was early to bed for all of us.  🙂